Ignition device for internal-combustion engines



7 R. WHITE.

IGNITION DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, 1919.

- PaIOIItOd 0013. 19, 1920.

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Bonner WHITE, OF BROOKYLN, NEW YORK...

IGNITION DEVICE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1920.

Application filed March 11, 1919. Serial No. 281,988.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, lionnu'r W Hrrn, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inIgnition Devices for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the followingis a specification.

My improvemei'its relate to 'means for positively effecting the ignitionand explosion of charges of vaporized hydrocarbon in the power cylindersof internal combustion engines irrespective of the character or degreeof compression imparted to said charges; and incidentally to theprotection of the ignition means against danger of fouling ordeterioration bycarbonization in and by contact with the power charge ofhydrocarbon, and the products of combustion resulting therefrom.

It is well known in the art that the main cause of limitation, troubleand failure in internal combustion engines is the fouling of sparkingdevices, or of incandescent means of firing, and that this diflicultyincreases with the crudeness of the fuel used and with the ddgere ofcompression imparted thereto, to such an extent that itis not possibleto effect combustion at high pressures by means of sparking mechanism asheretofore employed.

It is the object of my invention to overcome these dilticulties and tonot only isolate and protect the sparking means from direct contact withthe power charge of hydrocarbon and from the resultant gaseous productsof combustion, but also to positively insure the eifectual firing andcombustion of said power charges irrespective of the grade of fued used,and of the degree of compression imparted thereto,the inventionconsisting essentially in theuprovision and use of a preliminaryignition firing chamber and accessories, in conjunction with thecombustion cylinder, in such mannor that a jet of incandescent gas isinjected into the power charge in the combustion chamber at the mostopportune period in the cycle of operations, the preliminary ignitionand firing chamberand its operative parts I being controlled directlyand automatically by the engine itself, all as hereinafter more fullyset forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Fi ure 1 is a central sectional elevationof a part of an internal combustion power cylinder and of the cylinderhead thereunto attached, illustrating the application of my auxiliaryignition and tiring chamber thereto Fig. 2, is a sectional elevation oftheauxiliary ignition and firing chamber and accessory parts.

C, represents the power cylinder of an internal combustion engine inwhich the force of explosion of hydrocarbon effected therein is impartedto a reciprocatory piston in the usual way, the end of said cylinderbeing closed by a head H, provided with the usual inlet and dischargeports and valves, and other details and accessories as may be found mostexpedient, and unnecessary to particularize herein, as my inventionrclatcs solely to means for eifecting the ignition of the charge ofvaporized hydrocarbon after its introduction into said power cylinder C.

\Vith this mulcrstanding 1, represents my auxiliary or preliminaryignition and tiring device. the explosion chamber 11, of whichcommunicates with the main combustion chamber or cylinder t, through thefiring port a, (Fig. 1) in the head ll, said tiring port 11., beingcontrolled by a valve n, (Fig 2) on the inner end of the valve stem c,which latter extends through the preliminary ignition chamber z', andthrough the cover 1. thereof, being provided at its outer extremity witha yoke ;1 engaging with a cam arm K, which is connected with suitablevalve gear mechanism actuated by the engine in a manner well known inthe art. A. spring .9, is interposed between a stationary part. as thecover I, of the igniter and a. disk r keyed to the valve stem v, andtends constantly to hold the valve r, to its seat '2', at the end of thedischarge passage 6'', of the ignition chamber a, said passage -2' beingconincident with the aforesaid firing port h, in the cylinder head H.

A lateral extension 11 of the explosion chamber 2'. is made in thecasing I, for the accommodation of the inlet valve u, inter posedbetween, said explosion chamber i, and the inlet chamber 2', with whichthe supply conduit 7), communicates directly.

said inlet chamber i being formed in the cover I, of the igniter I. Thevalve stem u, of the inlet valve it. extends through the top of theinlet chamber i, and into proper proximity to the englne valve gearactuating mechanism by which its movements are timed and controlled incon unction with those of the valve n, governing the firing port /1, ashereinbet'ore stated. A spring a, is interposed between the cover I, anda disk or collar '16-, on the valve stem u, and tends constantly to holdthe valve u, to its seat 20*.

a, represents symbolically any desired form of sparking device, eitherof the spark plug or the make and break ignition type, as may be foundmost exped1ent, said sparking device being arranged to ignite Ihydrocarbon vapor within the incipient exfiring device when both thevalves u, and o,-

are opened for the purpose. That is to say, during the operation of theengine, the valves u, and r, are simultaneously opened by mechanismoperating the air intake etc., thus permitting the carbureted gasoleneun der pressure to pass through the inlet chamber 2' the explosionchamber 2 the discharge passage 2', and the firing port It, therebyclearing my preliminary ignition and firing device of all residual gasesof the last preceding explosion. Both the valves 11, and c, then remainclosed, confining a suitable incipient firing charge of gasolene withinthe inlet chamber 1, explosion chamber 2', and discharge passage 2',until the firing instant, when the valve 1:, is opened simultaneouslywith the ignition of such incipient charge by the sparking device (1with the result that the incandescent gas thus engendered is injectedthrough the firing port it, directly into the mass of the main or powercharge of vaporized hydrocarbon in the cylinder, thereby causing theimmediate explosion and complete co1nbustion thereof.

There are many practical advantages attained by the use of my auxiliaryand incipient ignition and tiring device. In the first place, the use ofthe common spark plug is made feasible, or the use of amake and breakignition system is made possible, without either of them being liable tointerterence or deterioration from the combustion oi the main or powercharge of vaporized hydrocarbon, no matter what the grade oi tuel oilfrom which it is derived,-it being understood that the sparking devicea, as indicated in the drawings is used symbolically for any desired orsuitable spark ignition device, as hereinbefore intimated. l urthermorethe degree of compression in the cylinder C, does not atl'ect theoperation of the ignition means. as this is in a separate chamber andconnected with the cylinder only by suitable passages under valvularcontrol. Hence, also, the use of my preliminary ignition and firingdevice and system will give absolute time control, and will obviateinterference from carbonization or other fouling; and will also inject alarge predetermined volume of heat in the form of incandescent gasdirectly into the mass of hydrocarbon vapor within the combustioncylinder C, exploding the same instantaneously, and effecting itscomplete combustion in such manner as to utilize its full caloric valuein the production of motive power. And theignition and firin of theincipient charge of highly volatilized and carbureted gasolene iseffected in unison with the engine valve control irrespective of thedegree of pressure within the cylinder (1, so that heavy fuel andrelatively high degrees of compression may be etfectually used withabsolute certainty, increasing the scope and capacity of internalcombustion engines as a class, and extending the field ofutilizationtherefor.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In combination with the power cylinder of an internal combustionengine of the character designated, an auxiliary ignition and firingchamber communicating with said power cylinder through avalve-controlled discharge port, and a sparking device for igniting anincipient charge of gas in said auxiliary chamber, together with meansopening said valve simultaneously with the ignition of the incipientcharge by the sparking device, whereby a firing charge of incandescentgas is injected into the hydrocarbon charge in the said power cylinder,for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the power cylinder of an internal combustionengineot' the character designated, an auxiliary ignition and firingchamber communicating with said power cylinder through avalve-controlled discharge port, said discharge port and valve, and aninlet valve for admitting gas to said auxiliary ignition and firingchamber, and means" for opening and closing both of said valvessimultaneously for the purpose of purging said auxiliary chamber andpassages as set forth.

3. In combination with the power cylinder of an internal combustionengine of the character designated, an auxiliary ignition and tiringchamber communicating with said power cylinder through avalve-controlled discharge port, said discharge port and valve, and aninlet valve for admitting gas to said auxiliary ignition and firingehaniber; means for opening and closing both of said valvessimultaneously for the purpose of purging the said auxiliary chamber andpassages, a sparking device 'forigniting an incipient charge of gas insaid auxiliary chamber, and means for opening said valve in thedischarge port simultaneously With the ignition of the incipient chargeby the sparking device, whereby .a firing charge of incandescent gas isin- 10

